Engine starter control system



y 1,944 1.. c. DERMOND 2,352,774

ENGINE STARTER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed July 12, 1940 T0 IGNITION Fatal-Md MMMZfi/ 5; ATTORNEY! Patented July 4, 1944 ENGINE s'rsa'rsn con'raor. srs'rmr Lawrence-O. Dermond, Anderson. Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Delaware Applicationluly 12, 1940. Serial No. 345.111

' (c m-s1) 11 Claims.

When the lever is in "neutral" position, the

transmission is in the non-operating status; when the lever in driving position. the transmission will'eflect tron of power from the engine to cause the vehicle to start and to move forward with increasing speed as the accelerator pedal is depressed; and when the lever is in reverse" the vehicle backs up when the accelerator pedal is depressed. When the lever is in either forward or reverse driving position, the tron of power from the engine to drive the vehicle ceases when the accelerator pedal is released.

It is an object oi the invention to provide a starter control system in which the starting operation is effected in response to the closing of the ignition switch only when the transmission status-controlling lever is in "neutral position and to prevent the use of the engine starter while the engine is self-operative and to require the opening and reclosing'of the ignition switch before the engine can be started again.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description. reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

7 The figure of the drawing is a wiring diagram of the present invention.

Referring to the figure, a battery is charged by a generator 2| driven by the vehicle engine.

-The charging circuit includes ammeter 22 and cut-out relay 23 having a core 2t surrounded by magnet coil 25 responsive to generator voltage. when the generator voltage attains a certain value relay armature it is attracted to close contacts 21 and 21a which complete the charging circuit. Then coil 2| responsive to current output is energized to maintain the relay contacts 21 and 2111 closed so long as the generator is charging the battery regardless of fluctuations of generator voltage between certain limits.

However, if the generator voltage falls so low that the battery begins to discharge through the generator the relay contacts 21 and 21a open due to reversal of current in winding 2|.

Wire 30 connects generator II with winding 8! of relay 8!. Winding II is connected to grounded core 33. A second winding 34 also connected with core II is connected by wire II with ignition switch I connected by wire 31 with battery II. Grounded relay armature It carries a contact it normally engaging a contact 48 connected with magnet coil M of a starter control relay 4!. Coil 41 is connected with battery 20 through a switch 43 and ignition switch". Switch 0 is closed only when the transmission status-controlling lever is in neutral position and is open when the lever is in forward or reverse driving positions.

Relay 4! includes an armature 44 carrying a contact ll normally separated from a contact I. Armature It is connected with battery 20 through wire 41. Contact 40 is connected with armature attracting coil II and armature holding coil I! of starting motor solenoid switch ll having an armature It for moving a.contact it against the action of a spring ll into engagement with contacts l8 and I! in order to connect battery 2| with starting motor 80.

when the engine is at rest contacts It and ll of relay 32 are closed. when the transmission status-controlling lever is in neutral position, the switch 48 is closed. Therefore the closing of switch 38 effects energisation of relay coil it to effect the closing of relay 42. The closing of relay causes energization of coils ll and 52 to effect closing of solenoid relay II which connects the starting motor II with the battery 20 to effect the engine starting operation. During the engine starting operation the coil ll of relay I2 is energized; but coil 34 is so designed that it alone will not effect the attraction of armature 38 of relay 32 to interrupt the circuit of coil ll of relay 4! by opening contacts 38 and It. So these contacts remain closed during the starting operation.

when the engine becomes self operative, the generator 2! driven by the engine impresses upon coil ll of relay 3! a voltage suiilcient to cause the combined effect of coils I4 and II to be stro enough to attract armature a to separate contacts l9 and 40. Once the armature 30 of relay 32 has been attracted, it will be held in attracted position by the magnetism derived from coil It alone.

The engine starter cannot be used while the engine is running because relay I2 maintains open circuited the coil ll of starter relay II. Even if the engine should stall, with the ignition switch on, the engine cannot be restarted except by moving the transmission controlling lever to neutral position to close switch N and by opening the ignition switch I! to disconnect coil 34 of relay II to permit relay ll to close and then by closing the ignition switch.

The present system can be used with a starting motor equipped either with an automatic shift responsive to starting motor rotation for moving the starter pinion into mesh with the engine flywheel gear or with a mechanical shift in which the movement of the pinion is effected by a mechanism operated by the solenoid armature 53. In case of a false start when the engine fails to remain sell-operative alter a few revolutions, the time consumed by the driver in turning the ignition switch 3' oil and on again is sufficient to permit the starter pinion to come to rest,

so that there will be no clashing oi gear teeth when operating the starting motor again.

The present system can be manufactured and installed at a cost less than required by a system in which the starter circuit is controlled by a switch responsive to engine intake vacuum.

In the present system, the switch 38 is a manually operable means for efl'ecting the connection of the starting motor" with the current source 20. The relay 3! constitutes an automatic means for eil'ecting disconnection of the starting motor 60 from the current source 20. Relay I2 responds to sell operation 01 the engine above a certain speed to eilect disconnection of the starting motor from the current source when the voltage impressed upon the magnet coil II by the engine driven generator is suilicient to cause relay contacts 39 and ll! to open. Relay 3! has provisions (the magnet coil for maintaining contacts 39 and 40 open so long as the manual means (switch 38) remains in circuit closing status, said provisions operating independently of the status of the engine.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope oi the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, an electromagnetic control switch for controlling the operation of said main switch, a plurality of manually operable switches, one of which is the ignition switch, at least two of which must be closed in order to effect the closing of said control switch, means operated by the generator for causing the control switch to be opened when the engine starts to run under its own power, and means for preventing reclosing of the control switch in the event that the engine stalls until one of said manually operable switches has been opened and reclosed.

2. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, an electromagnetic control switch for controlling the operation of said main switch, a plurality of manually operable switches. one of which is the igniin order to eflect the closing of said control switch, means operated by the generator for causing the control switch to be opened when the engine starts to run under its own power and means for preventing reclosing of the control switch in the event that the engine stalls until the ignition switch has been opened and reclosed.

3. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, an electromagnetic control switch for controlling the operation of said main switch, a plurality of manually operable switches, one of which is the ignition switch, at least two of which must be closed in order to effect the closing of said control switch, means operated by the generator for causing the control switch to be opened when the engine starts and the generator is operating at a predetermined speed, and means, operable when the engine stalls and the generator stops or operates at a speed below said predetermined speed, to prevent the reclosing oi the control switch until one of said manually operable switches has been opened and reclosed.

4. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, an electromagnetic control switch for controlling the operation of said main switch, a plurality of manually operable switches, including an ignition switch and a switch adapted to be closed when the transmission lever of the vehicle is in neutral position, said last named switches being operable to control the action of said control switch, means operable by the generator for causing the control switch to be opened when the engine starts to run, and means for preventing the reclosing oi the control switch in the event that the engine stalls when operating under load, until the ignition switch has been opened and reclosed and the transmission lever has been restored to neutral position.

5. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, a second electromagnetic switch for controlling the action of the main switch and which must be closed in order to enable the main switch to be closed, a generator driven by the engine, means for creating a suiilcient flow of current in the winding of said second electromagnetic switch when the generator is operating at a predetermined speed to effect the opening of said second switch in order to cause the starting motor to become mop erative, a plurality of manually operable switches including an ignition switch which must also be closed in order to cause the starting motor to become operative, and means to cause a suiiicient how of current in the winding of said second electromagnetic switch to hold said second switch open while one of said manually operable switches is closed, so that if the engine stalls alter being started it cannot be restarted until said last named manually operable switch is opened and reclosed.

6. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, a section switch, at least two 01' which must be closed ond electromagnetic switch action or the main switch closed in order to enable for controlling the and which must be the main switch to be in circuit with both the generator and the ig-.

nition switch, said winding being so constructed and arranged that it is not energized sufllciently to eflect opening of the control switch except when the generator is operated by theengine but is energized enough to hold the switch open after it has been opened by action of the generator so long as the ignition switch remains closed.

'7. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, a second electromagnetic switchior controlling the action oi the main switch and which must be closed in order to enable the main switch to be closed, a generator driven by the engine and an ignition switch both of which control the operation of said second electromagnetic switch, said last named switch having a compound winding in circuit with both the generator and the ignition switch, said winding being so'constructed and arranged that it is not energized suiilciently to eilect opening of the control switch except when the generator is operated at a predetermined speed, but is energized enough to hold said i switch open after it has been opened as long as the ignition switch remains closed.

8. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, a second electromagnetic switch for controlling the action of the main switch and which must be closed in order to enable the main switch to be closed, a generator driven by the engine and an ignition switch both of which control the operation of said second electromagnetic switch, said last named switch having a compound winding in circuit with both the generator and the ignition switch, said winding being so constructed and arranged that it is not energized sufficiently to effect opening of the control switch except when the generator is operated, but is energized enough to hold said switch open. after it has been opened as long as the ignition switch remains closed, entirely independently of the operation of the gemerator.

9. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, an electromagnetic control switch tor directly controlling the action of the main switch and having contacts in circuit with the winding of the main switch, another electromagnetic control switch for indirectly controlling the action of the main switch and having contacts in circuit with the winding 01 the direct control switch, a generator and an ignition switch both or which control the operation of said last mentioned control switch, said last named switch having a compound winding in circuit with the generator and the ignition switch, said winding being so constructed and arranged that the entire winding is energized when the ignition switch is closed and the generator is in operation but only a part of such winding is energized by closing of the ignition switch, whereby such winding is not sumciently energized to'eflect opening of the switch operated thereby except during operation of the generator, but is sufllciently energized to hold the switch open after its opening has been e1- iected as long as the ignition switch remains closed.

10. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, a second electromagnetic control switch for controlling the action of the main switch and which must be closed in order to enable the main switch to be closed, an ignition switch, a generator driven by the engine, said control switch having two windings, one of which is in circuit with the generator and the other in circuit with the ignition switch whereby current is caused to flow through both said windings whenever the ignition switch is closed and the generator is bein operated above a certain speed, the construction and arrangement or said windings being such that the eiiect of neither one alone is suflicient to effect opening of said control switch, but when the generator is operating above a predetermined speed the effect of both of said windings is suilicient to effect opening of the control switch in order to cause the starting motor to become inoperative and the effect of the winding in circuit with the ignition switch is suiiicient after the control switch is opened to hold the latter open as long as the ignition switch is closed, whereby in the event the engine stalls ai'ter being started, the ignition switch must be opened and reclosed before the engine can be restarted.

11. An engine starter control system having a current source and a starting motor, a main electromagnetic switch for connecting the starting motor in circuit with the current source, an ignition switch, a generator operated by the engine, a second normally closed electromagnetic control switch adapted to remain closed during starting of the engine, said control switch having two windings grounded through the core or the control switch magnet, one oi which is in circuit with the generator and the other with the ignition switch, whereby the windings are energized when the generator is in operation and at all times when the ignition switch is closed, the construction and arrangement of said windings being such that the eflect of. neither one alone is enough to effect opening of said control switch, but when the generator is operating above a predetermined speed, the eflect oiboth of said windings is suilicient to effect opening or the control switch in order to cause the starting motor to become inoperative and the eflect o! the winding in circuit with the ignition switch is suil cient after the control switch is open to hold the latter open as long as the ignition switch is closed. whereby if the engine stalls after being started, it cannot be restarted until the ignition switch is opened and closed.

LAWRENCE C. DERMOND. 

